High-octane storytelling and a Dancing with the Stars moment make for a memorable night of Israeli dance.

Heath Ledger Theatre, State Theatre Centre of WA

February 12, 2014

Founded by the Baroness Batsheva de Rothschild (who enlisted Martha Graham as their first choreographer) 50 years ago, the Tel Aviv-based Batsheva Dance Company is a relatively rare visitor to Australia – in fact this is its first trip to WA. Cost may well be a key factor – there are 18 dancers strutting their stuff here – but whatever the reason, on this showing courtesy of the enterprising Perth Festival, it’s worth moving heaven and earth to get them back soon.

Deca Dance is essentially a ‘Greatest Hits’ compilation and such mixed bags can often be, well, mixed bags but Israeli choreographer Ohad Naharin has helmed the company for nearly half of its existence and he knows a thing or about what bears repeating and how to build a hour-and-a-quarter of dance without longeurs.

Naharin is one of the world’s finest, most inventive storytellers and he’s blessed with a company to do his imagination full justice. Working from the idea of ten separate moments (hence ‘deca’), he sets out to explore “the illusion...